Solving Riddle
by WallnutShadow
Summary: When the golden trio forget to put protective curses around their tent one night, a series of events leads to the creation of an alternate universe. In this universe, all who know of the horcruxes are dead, and Ginny Weasley discovers that Albus Dumbledore had dreamed up one last plan to save the wizarding world before his death involving her, a time turner, and a certain memory.
1. Prologue

A/N: Obviously the Harry Potter universe and the majority of characters do not belong to me. What do you expect when reading stories on a website called " " in any case?

I love this pairing for some reason, so am attempting to write a long time travel fic about it. I owe some of my ideas to other brilliant fan fiction writers, as well as J.K. Rowling.

Prologue

It is extraordinary how one single, silly action can change the entire course of not only the present, but also history. This action, or lack thereof, took place on a riverbank far away from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, tired and disheartened after a long day of searching fruitlessly for places Tom Riddle may have thought to hide his horcruxes, forgot to cast a certain protective charm around their tent.

At this very point, one universe split into two.

In the one universe, you may be glad to know, nothing came of this minor mistake, and Harry, Ron and Hermione left the next morning without even noticing they had been partially unprotected. They went on to find and destroy all the Horcruxes, and Harry eventually defeated lord Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts.

In the other universe, Ginny Weasley had nothing left to live for, as her ex boyfriend, her brother and her best friend had been discovered by snatchers in the night and killed without even being taken to lord Voldemort first.

But Albus Dumbledore, the most brilliant wizard of the century, was nothing if not a good planner. He would never lack a backup plan, and this time, Ginny Weasley was to carry it out.

This was why four o'clock on an autumn afternoon,Ginny Weasley was to be found rushing down corridor after corridor heading for the headmaster's office. The rays of late afternoon sun coming through the wide windows she flashed passed caught the long red hair flying behind her, making it appear to be set aflame. In her, hand she held a single delappedated suitcase.

"Dumbledore!" she barked at the gargoil in front of what had once been Dumbledore's office, and sped up the moving staircase without waiting for it to carry her to the top. She knocked urgently at the griphin doornocker, and entered when she heard the voice of professor Snape answering from inside.

"Weasley," professor snape stopped pacing up and down behind his desk and faced Ginny. You are packed and ready I see."

"Yes Sir," said Ginny.

Only a few, short, agonising days ago, Ginny had learnt that her ex boyfriend, her brother and her best friend had been killed in their sleep by a group of snatchers on their mission to destroy lord Voldemort. Apparently they had wished to win Voldemort's favour, but Ginny felt that it couldn't have pleased him that someone other than himself had killed Harry Potter. She also learnt that Snape had always been on Dumbledore's side and that the latter's death had been planned between them. As if all this news had not already turned Ginny's life and everything she thought was real up side down, Snape had told her an hour ago that Dumbledore had had one last plan to save the wizarding world if Harry, Ron and Hermione were killed on their quest. She, Ginevra Weasley, was to go back in time to 1943 and prevent Tom Riddle from ever becoming lord Voldemort. How she would do this, she did not know, but on hearing this plan, she had desperately agreed. Perhaps her grief over the deaths of three people she loved

fiercely had made her wreckless, but she could no longer remain in a world where they had died, and for nothing, at that. She supposed she would have to kill Tom Riddle, which would be a difficult task, but she had been the top fighter in the DA after all. Snape had told her that the reason that she, Ginny Weasley, was chosen as the girl who would carry out the task was because she had the most experience with the teenaged Tom Riddle after Dumbledore, and she partly understood him, even if he had lied to her through the diary.

"You will take this letter to professor Dippet," said Snape, producing a manilla envelope. "It will partially explain your situation, with no mention of your actual task, of course. "And this one," he added, producing a white envelope, "you are to give to professor Dumbledore from his future self. You will introduce yourself as Ginevere O'Shara, an Irish exchange student. The O'Sharas are a pureblood family of travellors, but you will not meet any of them at Hogwarts in 1943. There were known to homeschool their children. Ginevere is also a name that has been passed down through generations in that family. You will restart your sixth year there."

Ginny had never been gladder that she had spent some time with Seamus Finnegan whilst she had been dating Dean Tomas. She had learnt to mimmick his Irish accent a little. At least, she hoped it would be passible.

"You will be sorted into a house," continued Snape, "And you will be in sixth year, as you are now."

Ginny gulped. "Yes Sir."

"Time turners are not ment to send people forward in time," Snape sneered slightly, and Ginny was reminded of the fact that, despite his loyalty to Dumbledore, he was still a rather unpleasant person. "You will probably not be able to get back when you have done your duty. Attempt to assimilate."

"There's not much left for me here anyway," said Ginny dryly, as she put the chain around her neck.

"Fifty three turns, Weasley; this particular time turner is used to go back in years, not hours," said Snape as if he hadn't heard her.

She started to turn the little hourglass, and watched the world around her melt into a blurr of different colours. Just before the tall, bat-like figure before her disappeared for good, she could have sworn she saw his lips form the words, "good luck".


	2. Chapter 1: Hogwarts, 1943

Chapter 1: Hogwarts, 1943

Everything stopped spinning, and Ginny found herself standing staring at the same window she had been staring at before. She glanced to the side to tell professor Snape that the time turner had obviously not worked, and, instead of Snape, she saw a frail old man sitting at the headmaster's desk, poring over a letter. Now that she noticed, the trees outside the window were also no longer covered in snow. It was summer.

She wondered whether she hadn't better try to sneak out of the office without the old man noticing her, and then only knock at the door. It would be incredibly odd for someone just to appear in a Hogwarts office, as apparition was impossible within its grounds.

Before she could do so, however, the old man looked up, and gave a startled grunt.

"Excuse me professor, I didn't mean to startle you," said Ginny quickly before he could speak, "I knocked at the door, but there was no answer, so I just entered. I am Ginevere O'Shara. I was home-schooled, but my mother wished me to transfer here, as she heard it was the best magical school in Europe." Ginny tried to hitch a charming smile onto her face.

"Oh, well," stammered the old man, "I am professor Dippet, the headmaster. I have not corresponded with your parents, Miss O'Shara."

Ginny quickly produced the manila envelope and handed it to professor Dippet. "This is from my father," she said. "I am from a community of travellers in Ireland, and my parents do not much like to leave our people."

Professor Dippet slit open the envelope and languidly proceeded to read the letter inside. His frown gradually cleared and he refolded the letter, put it neatly back into the envelope, and slid it into a compartment in his desk.

"Very well, miss O'Shara," he said, smiling at her. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry! Our welcoming feast shall commence in an hour or two when the Hogwarts express arrives with all the students, and you shall be sorted into one of our four houses. I trust your parents have told you of the quartering at our school? Each student is divided into a house named after one of the founders, according to the qualities these founders prized in their students."

"Yes Sir, my parents did tell me," said Ginny. "I think my mother was once a student here."

"Oh? What was her name?" Dippet smiled at her.

Ginny had to think very quickly. "She was a Weasley," she replied, purposefully neglecting to mention the first name. "She moved to Ireland after she finished school." Ginny knew that there were generations of Weasleys that attended the school.

"That explains the Weasley features," said Dippet. "You will likely meet some family members here then, Miss O'Shara."

Ginny hoped he would mention nothing to any of the other students. It would take very little to puncture her story. She inwardly cursed Snape for making her Irish; why couldn't she have been from somewhere further away? Then again, being Irish was more plausible with her red hair.

"Well then, I dare say you would like to freshen up before the feast. You may use the prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor. I shall conjure a patronus to escort you there."

Professor Dippet withdrew his wand from a deep pocket and a silver owl shot from the tip.

"Thank you, professor," said Ginny, and exited the office behind the silver owl.

As she followed it along the corridors, she noted that everything in Hogwarts looked much as it had been in her day, or rather, as it would be. The school really was timeless. She resolved to visit the passageway behind the mirror that Fred and George had told her had caved in, as she suspected it might still be alright in 1943.

Despite the familiarity of her surroundings, however, Ginny wondered what customs the wizards of 1943 were used to, and whether she wouldn't make a few devastating social blunders. She supposed she could blame those on being a traveller.

Arriving at the door of the bathroom she was supposed to use, Ginny waved goodbye to the silver owl, which disappeared shortly afterwards. She entered the bathroom, ran a luxurious bath full of bubbles and perfumed oils, and climbed in.

As she luxuriated in the hot water, her feeling of exhilaration seemed to evaporate with the steam rising to the ceiling. The realization came crashing down on her that she had given it all up. Everything. She had told Snape that there was nothing left for her in her time, but she had not thought of the smell of her mother's cinnamon biscuits, her father's stories of the crazy things muggles did, Fred and George letting off fireworks in the yard on warm summer evenings, Bill's advice, Charlie's friendly teasing; … she would never experience any of that again. And then she thought of two-a-side quidditch with Ron, Hermione and Harry. Even if she had stayed in her time, she would never play quidditch with them ever again, because they were gone. Dead.

Ginny gave a small moan and fell forward onto her face in the water. Her red hair fanned out around her and she felt that she wouldn't mind drowning, if only she didn't have to feel any longer.

"But they're not dead," said a small hopeful voice in her head. "They haven't even been born yet. They are safe in the future, and you have the power to make it so that they never have to die."

She lifted her head. Yes, she had that power. The power to do something about the situation. A power she never would have had had she stayed on in her time. But how would she possibly handle that responsibility? How could she, a sixteen year old witch, hope to save the entire wizarding world? She would have to kill Riddle, but she suspected that just throwing a killing curse at him in the great hall wouldn't cut it. She would have to befriend him. Befriend him and gain his trust.

At this thought, she felt suddenly very sick. She would kill him gladly, but to befriend the person who had betrayed her? The one who had haunted her dreams and her nightmares for the past five years?

Her thoughts snapped back to a small girl writing in her diary. Confiding all her secrets and her silly little troubles that were as nothing to the ones she had now to a faceless stranger. A stranger who had become her best friend. And later he had taken her through windows in the pages of his diary into his memory, or what seemed more like part of his imagination. She had seen him, talked to him, and eventually he had become her first love. Harry had never noticed her, but Tom had treated her like a princess. He had danced with her in a moonlit clearing existing in his memory, and she had told him she loved him and would help him to leave the diary so that they could attend school together.

But little did she know what his plans to leave the diary were. She had never suspected that the blank periods in her memory were his doing, and when she finally had suspected, there was nothing she could do. She had confided too much in him, given too much of her own soul to him. And one day he had forced her to write her own suicide note on the wall next to the bathroom in her own blood, and taken her down into the chamber, only laughing when she desperately cried that she had thought he loved her.

And with these thoughts, the tears that Ginny had not shed for five years suddenly started to escape her and she curled into a ball in the water and cried until she felt like she had nothing left in her. Then, exhausted, she lay back in the water and floated on her back, thinking of nothing, allowing her mind to drift in the same way her body was.

What felt like hours later, she sat up, feeling very weak, but with a new resolve in her chest. She would complete her task. She would befriend and betray Tom Riddle, the way he had befriended and betrayed her. And then, despite what Snape said, she would find a way to go back to her family. Perhaps when she got there, Ron, Harry and Hermione would be waiting for her, alive and well, and she could finally find peace.

She started to wash vigorously, and by the time she got out of the massive bath and was towel drying her hair, she had to admit that she felt much better. Tired, but better.

She opened her suitcase, bulled out a set of school robes and gave a small smile when she saw what was underneath. A pair of cut-off jean shorts and a top that would show much too much skin for a girl living in 1943. She would definitely have to sneak into Hogsmeade that weekend.


	3. Chapter 2: Sorting and Slytherins

Chapter 2: Sorting and Slytherins

Ginny made her way down to the entrance hall, which was filled with teachers milling around and talking to each other. Remembering that she wasn't supposed to know where she was, she walked up to one of them, and cleared her throat.

"Excuse me professor; where is the great hall?"

The man with the thick straw coloured hair turned around, and she recognised a much younger professor Slughorn. She smiled in spite of herself. It was nice to see a familiar face.

"Why it is right here, miss," he said genially. "And who might you be? I thought the train had just arrived, and surely the carriages can't be here quite yet?"

"I am Ginevere O'Shara, professor," said Ginny nervously. "I am an Irish exchange student."

"Welcome to Hogwarts! And I must compliment you on your perfect British accent, miss Ginevere," boomed Slughorn.

Ginny grimaced. Perhaps she should try harder to speak in an Irish accent to be more believable. But then again, she would leave more room for mistakes that way, and perhaps it was best to just stick to her usual accent.

"My mother was British Sir," she said, smiling at Slughorn.

"Really now," he said, "And of what family would she be?"

Ginny was saved from answering by a tall man with waist-length auburn hair and beard.

"Good evening Horris," he said.

"Albus!" said Slughorn loudly. "Meet our new student! Miss Ginevere O'Shara! She's bound to be the school's next heartbreaker!"

Ginny blushed. "Good evening professor Dumbledore," she said, looking up into his piercing blue gaze.

"Good evening miss O'Shara," said the younger Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

"And brilliant too! How on earth did you know that this was professor Dumbledore?" asked Slughorn.

Ginny could have kicked herself. She should not make this kind of mistake again.

"Um, my mother told me about him and all the great things he's done," she stammered, "And I think she once saw him at a party."

She knew this was a lame story, and resolved not to make a similar mistake again.

"Miss O'Shara," professor Dippet appeared next to Dumbledore. "The first years are about to enter. You may accompany them to the front of the hall, and you will be sorted last."

"Yes professor," said Ginny nervously.

The great front doors of the castle swung open and students flooded into the entrance hall. Ginny stared around at all of them, feeling little shocks of familiarity, and then realising that she didn't know these people at all. A girl who looked very much like Lavender Brown, a boy with Ron's face and Fred and Georges' stocky build, another boy who closely resembled Drako Malfoy, except that he was a little more muscular…, she blinked several times and they were lost in the mass of students crowding into the great hall. Then a boy who looked like a much younger version of Sirius, followed by a girl with an olive skin and long shiny black hair who reminded Ginny of someone, though she wasn't sure who. And shepherding a number of students into the hall was someone else who Ginny was certain must be Harry.

She started forward joyfully, and then stopped in her paces. Of course it couldn't be Harry. He was taller, for one, and his hair didn't stick up quite as much. Besides, Harry was about fifty years in the future.

A crowd of smaller children came through the front doors last; some of whose robes were a bit wet. Ginny wondered who had taken them in the little boats across the lake, and if he or she was half as nice as Hagrid.

She walked over to join them with professor Dumbledore.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," he said with a familiar twinkle in his eye. "You will go into the great hall where you will be sorted into one of the four houses. Follow me."

And with that, they were suddenly walking through the doors of the great hall and past the house tables glittering with the lights of floating candles above and their reflections in the golden plates and goblets below. All faces were turned towards them and Ginny felt the eyes of hundreds of students fixed particularly on her as they murmured their surprise to see an older girl amongst the first years.

Professor Dippet left his chair and lifted his hands for silence.

"Good evening students," he said in a very strict and proper fashion. "Welcome back to Hogwarts. May this year be one filled with success and great achievements! May you prosper and be proud of your work, so that you may send letters filled with good news to your parents and guardians as the year progresses. May you also find joy 'twixt the pages of your textbooks, as you strive to gain as much knowledge as possible. May you excel in the classroom, on the quidditch pitch, the house common rooms. May you make valuable friends that will…"

Ginny found her thoughts drifting. How much nicer it was when Dumbledore was headmaster! His speeches were always short and sweet.

Ginny grinned at the word "was". When thinking of her other life, she would have to use the future tense.

Her eyes wondered around the students. Many of them seemed to be starving.

"And now, let us welcome our first years!" Professor Dippet seemed to have finally reached the end of his speech. "May the sorting commence!"

Professor Dumbledore, who had exited the hall during Dippet's welcoming speech, re-entered holding a stool with a slightly less patched and frayed sorting hat perched upon it. He walked to the front of the great hall and placed it down on the floor.

As soon as professor Dumbledore had taken a seat, the rip in the brim of the hat opened and it began to sing:

"Hogwarts School was built and founded centuries ago,

By four friends famous to this day whose names you all should know.

And each of them prized different qualities in those they taught,

So Ravenclaw, for instance, prized the ones of brains and thought.

Griphindore prized bravery and those who dared to act,

And Hufflepuff prized loyalty and those who kept their pact.

Slytherin, he took in those who lived with great ambition,

And I was then created just to help them with their mission.

So put me on your head and let me take a peak and see,

The things inside, and I'll decide where you are meant to be."

A storm of applause broke out in the hall and Ginny thought how much she enjoyed listening to what the hat had come up with every year. She smiled slightly despite the feeling of dread that had been clawing at her insides since late that afternoon and lifted her head to listen to what professor Dumbledore had to say.

"Good evening boys and girls," he said. "For those first years who do not know how the sorting works, or were thinking of their empty stomachs while the hat was singing, let me give a short explanation. Each of you in turn will walk up to the stool and place the hat upon your heads. It will then decide in which of the four houses you belong, as it has just explained to you itself, and announce it to the rest of the great hall. You will then join the table of the house you have been sorted into, make friends, and eat as much as your stomachs can desire. But let me warn you, if you should have any stomach complaints tomorrow, I am not so sure madam West of the hospital wing will be overly inclined to help you. It happened to me last year, and she was very stern with me about the health risks of overeating. She made me drink something truly awful, which I think was more a punishment for my gluttonous behaviour than a cure."

Some of the students tittered. As Dumbledore started to read out the names.

"McDonald, Cathy."

A small girl with long dark hair stumbled forward and placed the hat over her curls.

"Griphindore," it called out.

She joined the clapping Griphindore table with a relieved expression.

"McMillan, Ernest."

Ginny stared at the boy. He looked exactly like Ernie from Harry's year. Perhaps he was his grandfather? She could hardly imagine this little boy as anyone's grandfather though. He was very quickly sorted into Hufflepuff.

Then followed Crouch, Camilla, who went to Ravenclaw, Brown, Florus, who went to Griphindore, Blume, Ambrosius, who went to Hufflepuff, and Cuffe, Barnabas who went to Ravenclaw. The first new Slytherin was Rosier, Susan.

After all the first years had been sorted and had gone to their various tables, Dumbledore stood up again.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is miss Ginevere O'Shara," he said, gesturing towards Ginny. "She has been schooled in Ireland, but she has now decided to complete the rest of her schooling here. I trust you will all make her feel very welcome." Then addressing her, "Miss O'Shara, please come forward."

Ginny stood up and was surprised to find that, as they did in first year, her legs were shaking slightly. She walked over to the stool, sat down, and placed the hat on her head.

"Hmmm, you are an interesting one," said the hat in her ear, "And what do you mean you have already been sorted into Griphindore by me? I have never been on your head before."

Ginny's thoughts were racing madly.

"Oh, now I see! Very interesting indeed!" Continued the hat. I do not think you should be in Griphindore this time, Weasley."

She jumped. Would the hat perhaps give away her secret?

"You come here to complete a very brave task, but then again, what else could you have done? I think this is more about ambition. And I think that sorting you into this house would help you best in your task."

"Slytherin!" Yelled the sorting hat.

Ginny took the hat off and got up shakily. She didn't know how to feel. In her first year she had dreaded being put in Slytherin, and she knew deep down that she was, and would always be a Griphindore. But she could see the hat's point. Being in Slytherin would help her befriend Riddle.

The Slytherin table cheered as she walked towards it, and she felt herself blush a little. The girl with long shiny black hair that she had seen earlier beckoned to Ginny to come and sit in the chair next to hers.

As Ginny passed professor Dumbledore, she surreptitiously passed him the white envelope from inside her robes, and saw his eyes widen in surprise. She walked on towards the seat that the dark haired girl was indicating.

"Hello," she said, giving Ginny a friendly smile.

"Hi," said Ginny, smiling back. She had never been smiled at by a Slytherin before.

"I'm Cedrella Black," said the girl, holding out her hand. "You can call me Helena though. It's my second name and I really hate the first" She grinned.

Ginny choked on the sip of pumpkin juice that she had just taken. Cedrella… could that be her grandmother?

She shook the girl's hand. "I'm Ginevere Wea… urm O'Shara" she stammered. "You can call me Ginny."

"O'Shara is a very respectable pureblood name in Ireland," said Helena.

Suddenly Ginny knew who the girl reminded her of. Bellatrix Lestrange! She had the same hair, the same haughty profile, the same skin and heavy lidded eyes. But she was being friendly. Ginny decided to overlook her comment. Besides, she had a very nice smile. It reminded Ginny of her father's.

"So, um, what year are you in," she asked.

"Sixth," said Helena. "You?"

"Also sixth," said Ginny.

"Oh, then I suppose we'll be in the same dorm," said Helena. "I'll show you around if you like."

"Thanks," said Ginny.

"What school did you attend in Ireland," asked a girl with blonde hair piled on top of her head from across the table.

"I was home-schooled mostly," she said, and to divert the conversation from this dangerous topic, "What is your name?"

"My name is Callidora Black," replied the girl coldly.

"She's my sister," said Helena under her breath. "And that," she pointed to a small, pale, and slightly plump girl with black hair like her own, only curly, "is Charus, my other sister. She's always whining!"

"I'm Alphard," said a voice from the other side of Ginny and she turned to see the boy who so resembled Sirius. She couldn't help but smile at him as she shook his hand.

"I'm Cedrella's cousin," he said, smirking at Helena who was glaring at his use of her first name. "Cignus over there is my brother," he pointed to another boy who looked exactly like him, "And that," he pointed to a tall girl with black hair piled on top of her head in the same style as Callidora's "is my sister Walburga. She's sitting next to that git Orion, who is also my cousin, and they are engaged to be married."

Ginny tried to digest all this information. In those days, she thought, they probably had family arrangements as far as marriages were concerned. And if she could remember correctly, Walburga and Orion were the names of Cirius's parents. It was very hard to digest the fact that the handsome girl all done up in the fashion of the day was the same woman who screeched out of the portrait at number twelve Grimmauld Place. The boy next to her had a slight resemblance to Cirius too, but he seemed shorter and more muscular with close cropped hair.

"So you are surrounded by Blacks and you can't escape," said Helena teasingly.

"That's not all though," said Alphard, who seemed to be enjoying himself. "That girl, he pointed across the table a few seats down, "is Lucretia. She's Orion's sister.

Ginny thought Lucretia Black was very pretty. She had long blonde hair with a very wide smile and very large dark eyes and she was slightly built, much like Ginny herself.

"She's going out with a blood traitor in Griphindore," remarked Helena.

Ginny flushed. She wished she could hex Helena, but she knew she had to attempt to fit in. Instead she asked, "Who is he?"

"He's Ignatious Prewet," said Helena. "The red head over there." She pointed to the Griphindore table.

"Him?" asked Ginny, pointing to the boy who looked like Ron.

"No," said Helena quickly. "He doesn't have blue eyes. She pointed to another boy with curlier red hair than the one who looked like Ron.

"How do you know he has blue eyes, Cid," asked Alphard teasingly.

"I notice things," she snapped, "Unlike some people who walk around with their heads in their arses all day."

Ginny thought she knew now where she had inherited her temper.

"So are there any non-Blacks in Slytherin?" she asked jokingly.

"There's Abraxas Malfoy over there," said Alphard, pointing to the muscular and attractive version of Drako Malfoy, who was talking loudly to the students around him.

"And there's Avery and Lestrange," said Helena, pointing down the table.

Ginny looked where she was pointing and froze. At the head of the table talking to Avery and Lestrange sat a pale boy with jet black hair. It was none other than Tom Riddle. He was lifting a fork of pumpkin pie to his mouth and frowning slightly at something Avery was saying.

Ginny thought he must have been the boy she confused with Harry from behind. His hair was black and sleek. She had forgotten how high his cheekbones were. How beautiful his long fingered hands were as he gestured with his fork. He suddenly laughed, and for that moment he looked just like an ordinary teenager, almost a child, having fun with his friends.

But she hated him, because he had betrayed her. She would kill him before this year was over.

As she thought this, he looked up and caught her looking at him. He met her eyes with his handsome brown ones and she felt herself blush slightly. She would refuse to look away. They continued staring at one another for, how long, Ginny did not know until she was jolted back to Earth by Helena.

"That boy you're staring at is the prefect and soon to be head boy, Tom Riddle. You don't want to stare like that or you'll automatically be seen as part of his large infatuated female fan club by everyone, and I can't be seen spending time with one of those idiotic scarlot women!"

Ginny felt indignant, but smiled in spite of herself. That had been a phrase her mother had always used.

Riddle finally looked away and Ginny sighed with relief that she didn't have to be the one breaking eye contact and seeming intimidated.

Casting around for something different to talk about, she said, "So what subjects will you be taking this year?"

"I'll be taking defence, transfiguration, charms, potions and arithmancy," rattled off Helena. "How about you?"

Ginny had decided to stick with what she had taken in her sixth year in her own time, except of course for muggle studies.

"I'll take defence, transfiguration, charms, potions and care of magical creatures," she said.

"I'm taking the same as you are, except charms" said Alphard with his mouth full of chop. "Good. Now I have someone whose homework I can copy."

Ginny laughed. "You'll have to ask very nicely and buy all my drinks in Hogsmeade," she said.

The bowls in front of them suddenly filled with puddings of all kinds, and Ginny reached for a slice of lemon cheesecake.

Helena's other sister sidled over to them along the bench.

"I think the house elves must have made the food with too much oil tonight," she complained, rubbing her stomach. "I have the most ghastly stomach ache!"

"That's because you eat too much, Charus," said Helena impatiently.

"How dare you," squealed Charus.

Ginny, deciding to intervene before things became too heated, said, "Hi. I'm Ginny."

"Charus Black," Charus stuck out her hand and Ginny shook it.

Ginny finished her slice of cake in silence, listening to the irritable exchange between Helena and Charus. She kept shooting glances to different parts of the great hall, trying to spot someone who might be another family member or who resembled someone she knew. She also looked over at Riddle once or twice, and noticed that quite a few of the girls had moved along the benches and were leaning in towards him, asking questions and batting their lashes.

She only distantly listened to professor Dippet's start of term notices, as she was attempting to figure out how on earth to befriend Riddle without appearing to be one of his "scarlet women", as Helena pointed out. Then again, how could she befriend him anyway? Harry had been very stingy with information about what he had been doing in Dumbledore's office the previous year, but he had told her about the memories of the Gaunt family and the orphanage, and he had also mentioned that Dumbledore had said that Tom Riddle had never had anyone that he considered a friend, and that for some reason he could not and had never loved. In any case, even if Tom Riddle had been an open book, how could she possibly make friends with someone who evoked hot surges of anger within her everytime she thought of him?

She reminded herself that it was for the purposes of betrayal that she would have to befriend him in the first place, but she didn't know how she could possibly be such a good actress.

"Ginevere, wake up," Helena prodded her shoulder.

Ginny noticed that many students had stood up and were filing out of the great hall. She quickly got to her feet and followed Helena and Alphard out of the hall too.

Led by Riddle, they made their way across the entrance hall and down towards the dungeons. They descended a flight of spiralling stairs and walked along a long passage that Ginny thought must be under the castle. Turning a corner, they came up against a stretch of bare, damp wall. Confused, she said to Helena, "What now?"

"Wait and see," she said.

"Parceltongue," said Riddle loud and clearly.

A concealed door opened, and he led them through into a long, low ceilinged room with green lamps hanging on chains. A few metres ahead was a carved mantelpiece under which a fire was crackling. Carved rocking chairs were arranged in a circle around it, and some extravagant looking leather couches lined the rough stone walls.

Ginny thought the common room looked a little cold, but yet rather beautiful. Perhaps she was only imagining the unwelcoming atmosphere of the place because she had always been a Griphindore and grew up with their prejudices. She belonged here for now, and she would make it her own.

"The girls' dormitories are up the stairs to the right," said Riddle crisply, "And the boys' to the left. Best you all get to bed; it's rather late. Goodnight."

With that, he and most of the other students disappeared up the stairs to their dormitories. However, a few students including Helena and Alphard milled around exchanging further greetings and holiday news. Helena dragged Ginny to a rocking chair right next to the fire, and pushed her down into it. Sinking down into the one next to Ginny's, she stretched her arms above her head and yawned. Alphard thumped down in a chair on the other side of Helena and produced a bottle of a dark golden liquid from inside his robes.

"Elder flower wine," he said.

Helena grinned. "Where did you smuggle that from?" she asked.

"Ask no questions," said Alphard. "Find us glasses. You know you always pack a few in your suitcase just in case I bring something."

"I know it from your father's liquor cabinet," said Helena.

"No it isn't. How do you think I manage to keep it coming all year?" scoffed Alphard.

As Helena ran upstairs to fetch glasses, Ginny could not help thinking how different it was from how things worked in Griphindore. Usually they would all go to bed immediately after the feast, and their encounters with stronger drinks were few and far between.

Helena reappeared and forced a glass into Ginny's hand.

"Wait! What about the prefects?" asked Ginny.

"Gone to bed long ago," said Alphard. "You saw Riddle going up."

"Who are the other Slytherin prefects then?" asked Ginny.

"Cignis is a seventh year prefect," said Alphard, pouring her a generous glass full of the golden liquid, "But he's my brother so he knows I won't listen to him. And if he tries to report me… let's just say I know something he'd rather didn't get out."

"And then there's Titania Berk," said Helena, "But if she reported us she wouldn't be able to join us in a drink or seven after a particularly annoying prefect meeting." She smirked.

"In our year it's Riddle," who is up in bed and who is too self important to even care what we do," said Alphard.

"And Druella the damned. Riddle chose her as his queen scarlot," said Helena.

"His what?" asked Ginny, taking a sip of her wine and deciding that it was very pleasant indeed.

"His chosen head scarlot woman," said Helena.

"She's his girlfriend?" asked Ginny.

"I said his scarlot," said Helena, "not girlfriend."

"She means his whore," said Alphard.

Helena looked scandalised. "Alphard!" she exclaimed.

"Oh don't be prissy," smirked Alphard. "You know that's what you meant."

"And what about the fifth year prefects?" Ginny asked.

"Don't even know who they are," said Helena. "But they won't dare report us. We're older."

"Why does being older matter?" enquired Ginny, thinking of Hermione telling off Fred and George about their snack boxes.

Helena looked surprised. "Because you respect your elders, don't you?" she lifted an eyebrow."

Ginny reminded herself that this was 1943, and a year's age difference obviously culturally ment a lot more in those days.

An hour later, at about one in the morning, she tiredly stumbled up what felt like a million stairs to bed with Helena. The dormitory they were sharing with three other girls including Lucretius Black was very much like the ones in Griphindore. Although the common room was under the lake, the dormitories had windows that looked to be on the second floor of the castle. Ginny wasn't surprised, as the steep stairs she had had to climb had made her leg muscles scream in protest and the spirals made her head spin, although that could have been the wine.

She and Helena unpacked there things, talking softly as the other girls were already in bed.

Ginny yawned as she too finally sank down onto her four poster bed and watched Helena pour them both a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table they shared. She handed a glass to Ginny.

"To the new year," she said, and clinked her water glass against Ginny's.

"To the new year indeed," thought Ginny as she snuggled down between her downy blankets and felt a warming pan at the bottom that was obviously put there by house elves, "And to an old year. A very old year."

With that thought, she dropped off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 3: Classmates and Clashes

A/N: I've noticed that I kept spelling Gryffindor wrong. That is because I use a screen reader to read books in text files, but that's no excuse. I should be forced to scrub slug slime off Riddle's award for services to the school for being such a bad HP fan. My sincerest appologies; it won't happen again. Enjoy this chapter

Chapter 3: Classmates and clashes

Ginny opened her eyes to find herself levitated above her bed.

"What the…" she exclaimed.

"You said to hex you if you wouldn't wake up, but I thought I'd be nice on your first day," said Helena, unceremoniously letting her drop onto her bed again and bang her head rather hard against the wall.

"Oops, sorry."

Ginny sat up, rubbing her head.

"Yes, good morning to you too," she said.

She saw two girls walk arm in arm out of the dormitory.

"Who are they," she asked.

"That's Druella and her sidekick," said Helena.

"Who's her sidekick?" asked Ginny smiling slightly.

"Ofelia Parkinson," sniffed Helena. "Another one of Riddle's scar lots, although she will pretend not to be going after him to pacify Druella."

"Although Druella frequently interrogates her," said a voice at the window. "She's frightfully jealous, but I can't say I blame her."

Ginny turned to see that the girl who had spoken was Lucretia Black.

"I'm Lucretia," said the girl. "You know, the one Helena told you was a blood traitor." She grinned.

"No Luca, I said you were dating a blood traitor," said Helena. "There's a difference."

"Talk to me again in a few months," said Luca, and exited the room smirking.

"What's that supposed to mean!" called Helena after her turning bright red.

A laugh was the only answer she got.

"Come come, hurry up," she said irritably to Ginny. "Breakfast."

"What did Lucretia mean when she said," began Ginny.

"Nothing! Hurry up!" interrupted Helena.

Ginny dressed and followed Helena out of the room and down the many stairs. Alphard was waiting for them in the common room, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets and a lazy grin on his face that made a number of girls pause as they passed him.

"Good morning," he said, falling into step next to Ginny.

"Hi," she said. "Helena didn't answer."

"What's wrong with you?" he enquired.

"Nothing," snapped Helena.

"Lucretia upset her by suggesting she might be interested in a blood traitor," said Ginny mischievously. "I bet its Weasley!"

Alphard burst out laughing and Helena glared at the pair of them.

"You know, I'm going to regret deciding to be friends with you," she said to Ginny, who smiled even more widely.

"And I won't show you to any of your classes!"

"You will, Alphard, won't you?" said Ginny. "Or I could just ask Luca."

Helena huffed and ignored them. They followed her into the great hall, the ceiling of which reflected a blue sky with small white clouds skidding across it.

They sat down at the Slytherin table and Alphard immediately pulled a plate of sausages towards him.

Ginny noticed Charus moving along the benches to sit next to her sister.

"Druella looks so lovely today," she sighed, plopping down next to Helena.

"Looks the same as usual to me," said Helena, sparing the girl at the end of the table a glance.

She had silvery blonde hair falling in ringlets to just short of her shoulders and big cornflower blue eyes. Ginny thought her features were a little bit insipid. As she stood up to reach across the table, Ginny noticed she was tall and had a rather nice figure.

The other girl sharing Ginny's dormitory was sitting next to her. Ofelia Parkinson had light brown hair in a very similar style to Druella's and a pug face that reminded Ginny strongly of Pansy, who could possibly be her granddaughter or something of the sort.

"No wonder Tom chose her," continued Charus. "They must be so in love!"

Helena looked slightly nauseated.

"Try this, Ginny," she said, tipping a slice of toast with honey and crispy bacon onto Ginny's plate.

"Honey and bacon?" Charus looked disgusted.

Ginny took a bite of her toast.

"Its actually very nice!" she said.

"We'll be getting our time tables soon," said Helena.

"I hope we don't have too many classes today," said Alphard wearily.

"I'm rather looking forward to starting again," said Helena.

At that moment, a flock of owls swooped through the windows of the great hall. A brown owl landed in front of Helena with a rolled up Daily Profit tied to its leg and she untied it as Alphard untied a parcel from his brown owl.

Mom's sent biscuits!" he said gleefully and ripped open the parcel.

"But you've just had breakfast!" exclaimed Helena, watching him cram three biscuits into his mouth at once.

"Mmm," he said through a mouthful of biscuit.

Helena unfolded her newspaper and started reading.

Ginny finished her pumpkin juice and stood up to pour herself some coffee. She saw Tom Riddle coming through the doors of the great hall, surrounded by a gaggle of giggling girls, all pushing and shoving to be closest to him. She also noticed Druella get up from her chair and rush over to him, putting her arm jealously around him and glaring at the other girls.

"Morning darling," she heard Druella say loudly. He pulled out a chair for her in a gentlemanly fashion, and she sat down smugly, patting the chair next to hers.

"Its awful about all these murders," said Helena from next to Ginny. "Grindlewald's killed another fifty muggles along with ten wizards in Russia."

"I thought you would have sympathy with his regime," mused Ginny.

"Of course not!" said Helena indignantly.

"But you don't like muggles," said Ginny.

"That doesn't mean I think they should be killed!" replied Helena. "They are clearly not as evolved as the wizarding race, and frankly I think we shouldn't have to hide, but killing them in masses is really going too far. And he's killing wizards too. That kind of extremism is what makes muggles kill witches and wizards.

"You mean the burnings?" asked Ginny. "I thought they could just perform a flame freezing charm?"

"Yes," said Helena, "But witches were also drowned or lynched. "Point is, we are more powerful, but if there was to be a war between all the world's muggles and wizarding folk, they would win eventually. We'd kill off many of them, but they're still in the majority by far! Anyway, whatever I may think of muggles, I don't believe in murder."

"Never could have guessed," commented Alphard grinning. "You've threatened to kill me more than once."

"You're an exception," said Helena. "But I'm serious. I don't think someone should die just because I don't like them. I think Druella, for example, is an idiot, but I wouldn't murder her."

"That's a relief to know," said Alphard.

"But what if she had actually done something bad to you?" asked Ginny. The whole reason she was in 1943 to start with was to murder someone, and this conversation was making her a little uncomfortable.

"Even so," said Helena. "I could just hex her."

Ginny laughed.

Professor Slughorn was doing the rounds with time tables, and the three Slytherins stopped talking.

"Ginevere!" he boomed. "You seem to have done very well indeed in your owls! Not a single fail, and three outstandings! Now what subjects would you like to continue with?"

Ginny told him what she had told Helena about her subject choices the previous night, and she was given her time table. She finished her tea while she waited for Helena and Alphard to be given theirs.

Once they had, they all stood up and made their way through the crowds of students to the doors of the great hall. Riddle was walking hand in hand with Druella in front of them.

"What do you have now?" asked Ginny.

"Potions," said Helena. "I think all three of us do."

They made their way to the dungeon, Ginny making sure that she wasn't leading the way.

They had this class with the Gryffindors, and Ginny felt a pang of longing when she heard their good natured banter. She could have been one of them.

"Potter," called Alphard, making his way to a boy with dark blonde hair and glasses. "Come meet our new friend!"

Ginny tried not to think of Harry. The blonde boy had very similar features, and Ginny suspected that it must be Harry's grandfather. It made it easier for Ginny that he didn't have Harry's green eyes or his hair, although it was in a similar state of disarray.

"Pleased to meet you," she said, shaking the boy's hand. "I'm Ginny.

"Charlus," said the boy. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"He stood talking to Alphard for a few more minutes until the dungeon door opened and Slughorn beckoned them all inside.

As Ginny walked in with Alphard and Helena, she couldn't help thinking that the atmosphere between Slytherin and Gryffindor seemed much more relaxed than in her era. Perhaps in those days there was less prejudice. Or perhaps there were just a few "good" Slytherins before Riddle turned them all bad. Perhaps, she thought, she had just managed to find the one or two Slytherins with less prejudice than the others, although she could hardly call Helena open minded.

They took their seats, and Slughorn beamed at them all.

"Now," he said. "Welcome to sixth year potions! You will be brewing some very complicated potions this year, so I suggest you pay…"

The door opened and all eyes turned to the door. Riddle entered.

"I'm sorry for my lateness, Sir," he said politely. "I was walking miss Rosier to her class."

"Very gallant of you, dear boy, very gallant indeed!" said Slughorn. "I've always said that a boy should have good manners when wooing a young lady," he winked, and Ginny and Helena rolled their eyes.

"Now," he continued. "We will be brewing the draft of living death today. I would like you to work in pairs."

Ginny had made this particular potion before, having already started her sixth year in her time, and she had picked up a number of useful tips from Harry. She thought it would be strange to brew the potion with someone else, however, and she was disappointed that there would be no lucky reward for a good potion, such as the Felix felicis that had been offered in Harry's year. She quickly turned towards Helena, but Slughorn placed a pudgy hand on her shoulder.

"Tom, would you please assist this young lady? She is new here, and I dare say, the standards in Ireland can't be quite what they are here."

Ginny scowled.

"Tom is our top student, Ginevere," said Slughorn, turning to Ginny. "He will help you to adjust in no time."

Ginny walked to the table where Riddle was sitting with his cauldron. Helena and Alphard had paired up, and were looking at her sympathetically.

She felt her mouth go dry as she looked at Riddle. The last time she had seen him was the time he came out of the diary, and now she would have to speak to him as if nothing had happened.

"Hello," she said stiffly, setting her bag down next to the chair across from him.

"Pleased to meet you, miss O'Shara," he said politely.

His voice was smooth, and too human to be Voldemort. Yet Ginny remembered how she had been taken in before and felt an irrational anger stir inside her.

He put out his hand. She reluctantly shook it, and noticed that his long fingers were ice cold.

She sat down across from him.

Helena caught her eye from across the room, and rolled her own eyes again. Ginny grimaced back.

"Miss O'Shara, I have been noticing since last night that you seem to dislike me, as you were looking at me rather strangely," Riddle said. "Have I done something to offend you?"

"No, not at all," said Ginny, feeling her cheeks redden slightly. "I've only just met you."

"Then would you do me the honour of calling me by my first name?" he said.

"Um … certainly," she said, taken aback. She would have thought that Riddle would prefer being known by his last name; his first being so unimpressive in his eyes.

All around them people were kindling fires under their cauldrons and chopping up ingredients. Ginny fished around in her bag for Snape's potions book, which Harry had told her the previous year where to find. Riddle had kindled a fire under his cauldron.

Ginny started chopping up valerian roots and made to add some to the cauldron, but Riddle grabbed her hand before she could drop them in.

"Miss O'Shara, I have a good reputation in this classroom, and would like to maintain it. Perhaps you should let me handle this," he said coldly.

Ginny bristled. "Professor Slughorn said you were to help me, not to do the whole thing by yourself. I also need practice to pass my exams, and for your information, I do have some education!" she snapped.

She snatched her hand out of his grasp and dropped the roots into the cauldron.

A few people were staring at her, and Ginny swore she saw Helena wink at her from the other side of the room.

Riddle said nothing, but glared at her. It was obvious that he wasn't used to being contradicted.

They worked in silence up to the point that they had to cut up the sopophorous bean. Riddle made to start chopping it, but Ginny intervened.

"Wait," she said, getting out her silver knife.

"What?" snapped Riddle.

Ginny crushed the bean with the side of her knife and scooped the large amount of juice into the cauldron, turning the colour of the potion to lilac immediately.

Riddle looked flabbergasted.

Ginny felt gleeful, but thought she would sit back for a while so as not to antagonise Riddle too much. She wasn't doing a brilliant job of making friends so far, she thought.

A few minutes later, as she watched Riddle stir the potion with no results, she debated with herself on how to convey information to him without seeming smug.

"Um," she said, "I sometimes find that a stir in the opposite direction helps when a potion refuses to change colour."

He glanced up at her irritably, but did as she said, and the potion immediately turned pale pink.

"You seem to be quite a good potion maker," he said in clipped tones.

"I used to have a very good teacher," she said.

"Oh? Where did you go to school in Ireland?" he inquired.

"I was home schooled by my mother," she lied.

"You don't seem to have an Irish accent," mused Riddle.

Ginny didn't reply.

Slughorn started walking around between the desks, commenting on everyone's potions. When he reached Ginny's desk, he exclaimed in delight.

"Well done my dear boy!" he said to Tom. "But of course I should have known you would do well, as you always do."

"It was actually Ginevere, professor," said Tom. "She did most of the work."

Ginny looked up in astonishment. She had not expected Riddle to admit this.

"Well then!" boomed Slughorn. "It seems as if Hogwarts has just gained another top student! Brilliantly done, Ginevere!"

"Thank you professor," she said.

Everyone started to pack up their things, and Ginny turned to re-join Helena and Alphard. However, she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to face Riddle again.

"You will be my potions partner from now on, if we are asked to work in pairs" he said authoritatively, and turned to leave.

Ginny re-joined her new friends frowning slightly. That sounded like an order, as opposed to a request.

"Brilliantly done!" exclaimed Helena as they swung their bags over their shoulders and made their way down the corridor through the crowds of students. "You showed Riddle! Bet he was furious!"

"No actually," said Ginny. "He has just announced that I will be his potions partner from now on if we ever have to work in groups again."

"What?" Helena's mouth dropped open. "Riddle hates working in pairs. He always works alone!"

"I suppose he just ment that if we were ever forced to work in pairs again. And I'm not bad at potions, so I won't send his reputation down the drain."

Alphard chuckled. "Now its definite," he said. "You'll be getting a beribboned violet envelope soon."

Ginny pretended not to know what he ment.

"Its this club that Slughorn allows his favourite students into," said Helena. "Like if you're very good at lessons, or quidditch, or if you have some famous family member. You're bound to be chosen for the Slug club after outperforming Riddle. Alphard's in it, because he's a really good quidditch player."

"I'd swap with you any day," said Alphard grimly. "Its boring as hell!"

"Parties are fun!" said Helena. "Next time you're allowed to bring partners, you better take me, or else…"

Ginny waved goodbye to them, as they headed off across the lawn to herbology and she headed in the direction of what would become Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures.

On her way there, she saw a group of Gryffindors heading in the opposite direction. Towards the back of the group, she saw a very large boy, already sporting a long bushy black beard. She recognised Hagrid at once! It was very strange to see such a young Hagrid, but she remembered seeing him once before in Riddle's memory of the night he had been expelled.

Ginny felt her throat tighten. The sight of someone so familiar sent little shock waves of emotion coursing through her. She had left everyone she knew and loved behind, but here was at least one person that she knew and cared about, and he didn't even know her name. She immediately had the urge to run up to him and introduce herself, but thought it might appear a little strange. There would be time enough for that, she thought, as she would have all year.

Trying to force her emotions under control, she joined the rest of the class a few metres away from Hagrid's hut. They were having this class with the Hufflepuffs, she noted. She wondered who the game keeper was, because she knew the Care of Magical Creatures teacher was not him.

A tall thin black man walked towards them, swinging his arms slightly at his sides. He gave off an aura of health and wholesomeness as he flashed them a brilliantly white smile.

"Good morning, good morning!" he called to them. "How are you today class!"

Some of the class greeted him excitedly.

"I see we have a new adventurer in our midst," he said jovially, pointing at Ginny.

"Yes Sir, I'm Ginnivere O'Shara," she said.

"Pleased to meet you miss Ginnivere," said the professor, flashing her another bright white smile. "I am professor Kettleburn, and I am also rather obviously the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, because professors from other subjects do not usually join classes that are not their own."

Ginny grinned. This class could be fun.

"Alright alright, follow me!" professor Kettleburn started to walk away towards the forest. "Never mind, we won't be going into the forest!" he called to them. "There's an enclosure right around here."

He disappeared around a clump of bushes and the class followed. Ginny stopped at the gate of an enclosure into which Kettleburn had just sauntered. She could see nothing inside and glanced around her in puzzlement. Several other members of the class were doing the same.

"Thestrels," said a dreamy voice next to Ginny, and she almost fainted when she identified the source. A little to her right stood none other than Luna!

But no, it couldn't be. Luna was back in her time, fighting with the DA, wasn't she?

"Luna?" Ginny said tentatively.

"My name is Rowena," said the blonde girl, holding out a pale hand. "But Luna is a really pretty name!"

"Oh, sorry," said Ginny, still doing a double take. "You look very much like someone I knew."

The girl gave a sweet smile, something else that reminded Ginny strongly of Luna. Her blue eyes were also slightly wide and protuberant, and her hair was the same colour and length as Luna's. It was, however, clean and shiny, as Lunas only looked on special occasions such as Bill and Fleur's wedding and the Slugclub party that she had attended with Harry.

"I'm Ginny," she held out her hand to the girl called Rowena.

"Hello," said Rowena. "You're the new student. You transferred here from Ireland."

"I know," said Ginny, grinning.

"You don't sound very Irish," said Rowena.

"My mother was English," Ginny wondered how often she would have to repeat that particular phrase in the coming year.

"Oh," said Rowena. "My mother is too. My dad's Irish though."

"What's your surname," asked Ginny.

"Lovegood," said Rowena.

Ginny wondered what relative of Luna's Rowena could have been. Perhaps her grandmother. Or a great aunt?

"Urm, do you have any brothers and sisters," she enquired.

"Oh yes," answered Rowena. "I have two brothers called Godrick and Salazar, and a sister called Helga. Godrick is in fourth year and the other two are out of school already. Our parents named us after the founders of Hogwarts. Us girls ended up in the houses whose founders we were named after, but Salazar went to Gryffindor and Godrick went to Slytherin."

So obviously Rowena must have been Luna's great aunt, and either Godrick or Salazar was Luna's grandfather, thought Ginny, and made a mental note to look out for Godrick Lovegood in the Slytherin common room.

"...ones that were pulling the carriages last night," Kettleburn was saying. "They can only be seen by those of us who have seen death. I won't ask which of you can see them, because that's your business." He spoke briskly, "But if anyone would like to sit on one to show the rest of the class who can't see them how strange it looks riding an invisible horse..."

Charlus Potter immediately stepped forward. Ginny watched in amusement as he groped around to find the thestrel, and then clambered up onto what looked very much like nothing. He sat in a strange position in mid air, straddling the invisible horse. He then started moving forward, bouncing up and down slightly as if the thestrel were trotting. Some of the class were laughing. Others were merely staring open mouthed at the strange, and Ginny had to admit, slightly creepy phenomenon.

"Now thestrels..." Kettleburn continued, but Ginny's attention wondered to Harry. Charlus looked so much like him, except for the dark blonde hair and the lack of Lilly's eyes.

How strange it was, she thought, that those who had seen death were considered cursed. It was surely a horrible thing to experience, but at least seeing a loved one's body would convince one, once and for all, that he or she was truly dead. Ginny had not seen death, but she had seen the body of Dumbledore,; attended his funeral. It had helped her achieve closure. However, she had been told, in empty words, that her best friend, her brother, and the man she had hoped to marry one day were dead. "Dead," what a hollow word that was. Hollow and empty. Like a body when the soul had departed. And the last she had seen of either of the trio was a vibrant human being, alive and well. Not that Ginny didn't want to remember them that way, but now it was impossible to accept that it was true. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were truly dead.

Then again, she reminded herself for the thousandth time, they weren't even born yet. The whole reason she was here to prevent them from dying.

And then there had been the memory of Tom Riddle. The last she had seen of him. Speaking to her. Cruelly, it was true, but still speaking. And when she had awoken in the chamber, there had only been an empty book with a hole burnt through the middle. How many times over the past few years hadn't Ginny looked over her shoulder, swearing she had seen a shadow of him out of the corner of her eye. But there was never anything there. She knew that Voldemort was still alive, but the memory of Tom Riddle couldn't possibly be destroyed, could it? Not if she constantly caught glimpses of him when she half closed her eyes, or heard a syllable in his voice coming from somewhere? And she had always wished she could catch him there, so she could tell him how strong she had become. How it was thanks to him. How, through betraying her, he had merely honed her into a weapon that she would use against him and his followers without even the slightest pause if she were to have the chance. Well, here she was, and she was finally

going to get the chance to be the weapon she had become. But why was she so terrified?

A tap on her shoulder reminded her where she was.

"You're thinking about painful things, aren't you?" asked Rowena.

Ginny was disconcerted. It seemed that Rowena had the same uncanny knowledge of what was going on in people's minds as Luna had had, or would have. Ginny didn't know how to construct her tenses anymore.

"Class is over," said Rowena, looking at Ginny strangely.

"Thanks," Ginny said, falling into step next to her. "Where are you headed?"

"Charms," said Rowena.

Since Ginny also had charms, she accompanied Rowena back into the castle and up several flights of stairs to the charms classroom.

The charms teacher was a small elderly witch with a long silvery braid hanging down her back. Her name was professor Dorothy Dennison and she was very pleasant, patiently correcting the positions of the students' wands and cheerfully cracking jokes about the mistakes they made as they attempted to cast the charm that produced a stream of pure water from their wand tips.

"Aquamenti!" cried a boy named Peter Knot, and produced a jet of water that drenched the robes and hair of the disgruntled looking Ravenclaw next to him.

"Well done, Peter dear," said the professor. "Next time, try to aim a little closer to your glass." She tapped the water glass sitting in front of Knot.

Of course, professor Dennison also doted on Riddle.

"Perfect Tom!" she cried, lifting his glass of clear water to show everyone. "Tom even conjured a fish in his water!"

After charms, Ginny made her way down to the great hall for lunch. She joined Helena and Alphard at the Slytherin table and immediately pulled a basket of buns towards her.

"How did you find your classes so far?" asked Helena.

"Oh, they were okay," said Ginny, sprinkling grated cheese on her role and reaching for a slice of ham, "I've done thestrels before, so that wasn't anything new. I had a little trouble conjuring the water in charms, but I got it right by the end of class."

Of course she had not struggled, as she had mastered the aquamenti charm in the beginning of her sixth year in the future Hogwarts and was already half way through the year's work, but she didn't want Helena and Alphard to think she was bragging about her skills.

"You did thestrels before?" asked Alphard, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, I mean my family use them," said Ginny, mentally slapping herself for slipping up.

"Oh, alright," said Alphard, his mouth full of chicken pie.

"Alphard!" chided Helena. "That's disgusting!"

Ginny looked up in time to see Riddle and his cronies entering the hall, once again surrounded by a gaggle of girls, all batting their eyelids at Riddle and laughing loudly.

"The grand entrance of the king again, said Helena," seeing where Ginny was looking.

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully, and Ginny made her way back to the common room feeling quite satisfied with her adaption skills. She had her last period off, so it was still rather early. She sank into an armchair next to the empty fireplace and reviewed her day. She had shown Riddle up in potions, met a girl surprisingly like Luna, and continued to bond with the young version of her grandmother and one of Sirius's uncles. She grinned as she thought of how strange that was. Hermione would tell Ginny to write a book, as she would be the only person ever to have met and become friends with her grandparents. She would find it fascinating. Ron wouldn't have been able to wrap his mind around the idea and would probably just have sat there with his mouth hanging open. Luna wouldn't be in the least bit surprised and would act as if it were an everyday occurrence to travel back more than fifty years and end up meeting your ancestors. Harry would ...

But Ginny didn't want to think about them anymore. A lump had risen in her throat and she couldn't breathe. She leant forward as a thunderstorm of loneliness raged in her chest. She would never tell them. They would never know. She would never, never, never see them again. If she were to defeat Riddle and live long enough, she might meet them, but they would have no idea who she was. She would be an old woman, and they would be young and vibrant. Harry would find someone else. When Riddle was gone, she would have no sense of purpose. As much as she liked Alphard, Helena and Rowena, she didn't know how they would never be able to replace her old friends.

But she would have to be born again, wouldn't she? Ginny imagined meeting the young version of herself in the future. How could that be possible though. Would that mean her soul would split? Would the young Ginny just stop existing in the middle of her sixth year? How did time travel work when one travelled back years instead of hours? Ginny thought she would have to investigate the matter more closely at some point.

Ginny's head was pounding. She decided to take a walk at the lake, and left her seat.

She had not done badly so far, but she had made no strides towards making friends with Riddle. All in good time though, she thought, as she left the common room. Yes, it had been an alright day, but now she needed to clear her head of all the fluff floating around in it.


End file.
